Greater than 750 public well being employees despatched a letter to Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday, urging him to “cease spreading inaccurate well being data” and assure staff’ security, within the wake of a capturing on the headquarters of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) earlier this month.
The letter—signed by each named and nameless present and former staffers on the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers (HHS), CDC, and Nationwide Institutes of Well being who famous they signed the letter of their “personal private capacities”—mentioned the assault on the CDC’s headquarters in Atlanta on Aug. 8 “was not random.”
“The assault got here amid rising distrust in public establishments, pushed by politicized rhetoric that has turned public well being professionals from trusted consultants into targets of villainization—and now, violence,” public well being employees mentioned within the letter, which was additionally addressed to members of Congress. “CDC is a public well being chief in America’s protection in opposition to well being threats at residence and overseas. When a federal well being company is beneath assault, America’s well being is beneath assault. When the federal workforce shouldn’t be protected, America shouldn’t be protected.”
The general public well being employees went on to accuse Kennedy, a distinguished vaccine skeptic, of being “complicit in dismantling America’s public well being infrastructure and endangering the nation’s well being by repeatedly spreading inaccurate well being data.” They cited a number of statements and actions that Kennedy has made in latest months, pointing to his declare that mRNA vaccines “fail to guard successfully” in opposition to higher respiratory infections reminiscent of COVID-19—regardless of years of analysis displaying that the photographs are each protected and efficient—and his announcement that HHS can be winding down mRNA vaccine growth. Additionally they condemned his choice to take away all of the consultants from a crucial vaccine advisory committee. They usually mentioned a few of Kennedy’s previous feedback—reminiscent of claiming that there’s a “cesspool of corruption at CDC”—have been “sowing public distrust” within the well being company.
Learn extra: Trump Administration to Wind Down mRNA Vaccine Improvement
The general public well being employees expressed their want to honor police officer David Rose, who was killed whereas responding to the assault on the CDC headquarters in August.
HHS mentioned in a press release to TIME that Kennedy “is standing firmly with CDC staff—each on the bottom and throughout each heart—making certain their security and well-being stay a high precedence.” The company added that, after the capturing earlier this month, Kennedy traveled to Atlanta and referred to as the CDC “a shining star” among the many world’s well being companies.
“For the primary time in its 70-year historical past, the mission of HHS is actually resonating with the American folks—pushed by President Trump and Secretary Kennedy’s daring dedication to Make America Wholesome Once more,” HHS mentioned. “Any try to conflate broadly supported public well being reforms with the violence of a suicidal mass shooter is an try to politicize a tragedy.”
Legislation enforcement officers mentioned they discovered proof that the suspect within the August capturing, who they recognized as Patrick Joseph White of Georgia, blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for his well being illnesses. White was discovered lifeless on the scene, and authorities later mentioned that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
CDC Director Susan Monarez famous the risks posed by misinformation in a workers assembly within the wake of the assault. “We all know that misinformation will be harmful,” she mentioned, in line with NBC Information. “Not solely to well being, however to those who belief us and people we need to belief. We have to rebuild the belief collectively.”
The day after the capturing, Kennedy expressed his condolences to Rose’s household in a publish on X.
“We all know how shaken our public well being colleagues really feel right now. Nobody ought to face violence whereas working to guard the well being of others,” he mentioned. “We’re actively supporting CDC workers on the bottom and throughout the company. Public well being employees present up day by day with goal—even in moments of grief and uncertainty. We honor their service. We stand with them. And we stay united in our mission to guard and enhance the well being of each American.”
Kennedy was certainly one of President Donald Trump’s most controversial Cupboard nominees, and confronted heated questioning by Senators throughout his affirmation hearings. He has drawn outrage from the medical institution previously for spreading disinformation, together with repeating the debunked declare that vaccines trigger autism.
Of their letter, public well being employees claimed Kennedy’s “harmful and deceitful statements and actions have contributed to the harassment and violence skilled by CDC workers.” They implored him to take three steps by Sept. 2 to “uphold his pledge to safeguard the well being of the American public,” together with asking him to “cease spreading inaccurate well being data,” significantly relating to vaccines, infectious illness transmission, and the nation’s public well being establishments. Additionally they urged him to affirm the scientific integrity of the CDC and assure the security of HHS staff, reminiscent of by means of emergency procedures and alerts.
“The deliberate destruction of belief in America’s public well being workforce places lives in danger,” they wrote within the letter. “We urge you to behave in the most effective curiosity of the American folks—your pals, your households, and yourselves.”
